Main menu

Reflecting the long history and exquisite vistas of the Italian countryside, Tuscan décor is a lovely option for bringing a sense of antique charm and natural beauty into your home. If you hate stuffy, pretentious decorating and you want to design a cozy, lived-in feel for your house, you simply can’t go wrong with Tuscan décor. Emphasizing warm colors, natural materials, and simple details, Tuscan decorating exudes comfort, simplicity, and peace.

At its most basic level, Tuscan décor is a celebration of the beauty of nature (think vineyards and rolling hills) and the joy of food, friends, and family. That means you’ll want to emphasize:

* Rustic, country elements

* Earth tone colors, especially warm golds, terra cottas, and greens

* Natural materials like wood and stone

* Simple details, especially organic motifs such as leaves and vines

* Time-worn, aged, and distressed decor

Start by choosing several antique-look furnishings for your room. From leather topped benches to embossed wall medallions to brightly painted hall tables, the larger pieces of your décor will set the stage and help create that aged, Tuscan feel. Be sure that you steer away from modern lines and materials (including shiny metals) to maintain the time-worn country look you’re going for.

Next, work in appropriate accents. Decorative candlesticks are always a great option, as are simple urn shaped lamps. Also, consider displaying ceramic plates on a rustic hanging plate rack or grouping colorful earthenware vases on a table. Not only do these accents add splashes of Mediterranean color, they also draw on the importance of both food and simple materials in traditional Tuscan designing.

The same Tuscan style that’s perfect for your interior decorating can also make the outdoor spaces of your home seem cozy and inviting. Using earth tones, natural materials, and time-worn pieces, your outdoor Tuscan décor is an attractive, laid-back way to complement your landscaping and create that ideal outdoor retreat. By simply adding outdoor accents that fit within the theme of Tuscan decorating, you can take your garden, porch, or patio from basic to charming Italian-country!

The first step is adding a fountain. A key part of the landscape and home architecture in Tuscany, fountains integrate water into outdoor décor, becoming a featured focal point in practically every courtyard or garden. You can do the same in your outdoor space, creating an eye-catching accent and adding the soothing sound of water to the sensory experience of your garden. Opt for a simple tiered fountain in warm terra cotta colors or choose a more detailed pedestal fountain. Remember, simple and natural should be your two key criteria when selecting a Tuscan-style fountain-materials should look like stone or terra cotta, not modern metals, and detailing should be uncomplicated and reflect the beauty of nature in botanical motifs and patterns. Position your fountain as the center of attention in your garden, making it the heart of your outdoor space and the focus of your Tuscan décor.

You’ll want to consider statuary. With its storied history and ancient past, Tuscany is filled with exquisite statues from monumental architecture to simple country gardens. For the perfect Italian-inspired outdoor décor in your yard, a statue or two is a must. Keep in mind that any kind of statuary (in earth tones or natural stone colors) can work in your Tuscan decorating. Traditionally, Tuscan design would include classical forms-think the Venus de Milo-but that doesn’t mean you have to stick with traditional nudes. As long as your statue choice stays grounded in the fundamentals of Tuscan décor (natural materials, aged appearance, organic details), just about any statue can complement your Tuscan theme.

You don’t have to live in Tuscany to have the feel of a Tuscan villa. You can create that cozy feeling in your own home using warm colors, natural materials, and keeping it simple in design.

When you are thinking about improving the outdoor looks of your home, you must keep in mind that it is not necessary to spend a lot of money in order to achieve a new look for the outdoors because you can do so by making simple and small changes in the outdoors such as changing the lights and sitting arrangement and improving the overall look with the help of a center piece.

Since all of this is easy, you have to keep in mind that you must also have something to keep people warm during the winters so that you and they can have a great time in the outdoors. Therefore, you must make sure that you have outdoor heaters in your home so that you are not only able to improve your decor but you are also able to keep your guests warm and comfortable in the patio outdoor furniture.

The outdoor heaters are available in different designs that are very attractive looking which really helps to amplify the looks of your home in the outdoors. The outdoor patio heaters also help you to ensure that your friends and family stays warm and comfortable in the outdoors by choosing the best outdoor patio heaters for your home.

The outdoor patio heaters are very unique looking and they are able to keep everyone around them warm and comfortable in the outdoors. The outdoor patio heaters are very easy to use and anyone can use them without much problems.

Therefore, if you are concerned about improving the outdoor decor of your home and you also want to ensure that your friends and family can have a great time in the outdoors even in the winters, then you must opt for the outdoor patio heaters that will help you to do all of these things without many problems.

The right planter in the right setting brings style, function and beauty to any indoor room or outdoor location. Planters can be used as a unique focal point or a graceful accent in any garden, patio, porch or room. The secret is finding the perfect planter – one that reflects the owner’s personality and surroundings while maintaining lasting durability.

Planters come in a large variety of shapes, sizes, designs, materials and price points, which makes some planters a better choice than others. In today’s market, the unlimited assortment can also create unlimited indecision. Knowing a few useful tips can simplify the decision-making process and help consumers purchase plantersthat will bring years of pleasure.

A great way to get started is to purchase a matching set of various sized planters ranging from three, five or seven in total. Five containers used in a corner of a patio will help define your entertainment space. This grouped planter display can provide privacy and help tie in your overall outdoor living area. Don’t be afraid of using bright and vivid containers such as oranges, iridescent blues and reds. These colors can help liven up outdoor spaces.

Combining plants is a fun part of container gardening. Try mixing and matching different plants such as annuals, tropicals, perennials, trees, shrubs, vines and vegetables. Before planting, arrange the new plants in or around your container while they are still in their small pots to see how they fit best. A good rule of thumb is to plant the tallest upright foliage plant in the center. Next, plant the shorter and more compact flowering plant to the side of the center, near the edge of the planter. Leave enough space between these plants to allow for growth. Finally, place plants with trailing or semi-trailing growth habits around the planters’ outer edges leaving enough space for adequate spreading and trailing.

A word of caution: Also remove new plants from their nursery pots with care. Never remove them by pulling on their tender stems. Gently loosen or untangle the bottom inch of each plant’s roots before carefully spreading them out in your planter. This helps give young plants a better start. Additional potting mix can be added to ensure the soil covers the roots of each plant. When your planting is finished, the soil should be at least an inch below the rim of the container.

Gardening with planters is a great way for beginning and experienced gardeners to dig into the botanical world. And best of all, you can take your planter garden with you when you move.